UFC on FX 8 an immediate sellout, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta says

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that the promotion’s next event in the country, UFC on FX 8, “sold out immediately.”

UFC on FX 8 takes place May 18 at Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The event’s main-card airs live in the U.S. on FX following prelims on FUEL TV and Facebook.

Domestically, the event, which features a middleweight matchup between former champs Vitor Belfort and Luke Rockhold, will be shown live on Globo TV. UFC programming, including live events and an international version of “The Ultimate Fighter,” continues to pull big numbers for the Brazilian network, according to Fertitta.

UFC on FX 8 is the fifth event held in Brazil since a broadcast deal was struck in late 2011 between the UFC and Globo, which outbid the promotion’s former parter, RedeTV. It’s also the third event to feature Belfort as a main-card attraction.

“When we do fights there on free-to-air, we’re hitting between 40 to 50 million viewers,” Fertitta said. “There’s about 190 million people in Brazil. If you index that, we’re essentially doing Super Bowl-type numbers four times a year for our live events.”

Fertitta said UFC shows also comprise 85 percent of the programming of Combate Channel, a premium cable channel that also broadcasts regional MMA events such as Jungle Fight.

“We’ve got great exposure there, and the fans are just crazy,” he said.

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